Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1887-06-17
STORIES OF THE Rail.
An Engineer Tells How q Collision was
Averted by u Freaky Locomotive.

An Engineer Tells How Collision was
Averted by u Freaiy Locomotive.
Il will tell you about one of the most
curious freaks of an engine that ever
occurred in my experience with them.
| offer no explanation, for l never have
been able to solve it half satisfactorily
to myself, and will, therefore, leave you
to draw your own conclusions. 1t was
about sixteen years ago when | first
commenced to run passenger train
The night was dark and stormy, in the
middle of December. was ordered
for the midnight express, and somehow
from the very start everything seemed
to 90 wrong. Even the fireman APP
peared to act and work differently from
usual. Well, to make matters worse,
we were detained an hour at the depot,
and then the conductor came and told
me that the superintendent was on the
train and bound for the other end of the
road.
.Now, right here want to say that
| have always had the reputation of be-
inc one of the most careful and best
engineers on the road, together with
being able TO make the best time. This
was the first time the superintendent
had ever been on my train, and, of
course. | was anxious to sustain my
good reputation. But the fates were
against mean hour late, the night
dark and stormy, and our regular
running time between forty and
fifty miles an hour Well, we pulled
out of the station with my mind
made up to reach our destination on
: time if the wheels would stay under
her. AS soon as we were out OF the
city limits | opened on all the steam
she had and let her go. But she didn't
, seem to move at half her usual speed
and then she didn't seem to make
steam well, either l began to be i'm
patient, and scolded the fireman for
, not doing good work with his fire.
He seemed to try his best, but it was
no 90. She would not steam well, in
! spite of his exertions. Then the
! pumps began to be troublesome. One
: of them stopped working altogether,
q and the other became more unreliable
y every minute. 1t began to dawn upon
d me that making up time was out Of the
question.
}, you may imagine my feelings, fol
e it seemed to me as if my whole reputa
# ton was staked on this trip. l profess
: to know my business pretty well an'
~ can get speed out of an engine if any
|, man can, and my heart was down be
= low zero when we began to drop be
= hind our regular running time. But
was no use. Everything was agains
, me. | was mad clear through.
r. "When we left Station D. we wer
8. one hour and ten minutes late, and tn
G. conductor had just made remark tina
lie nettled me quite little. | had aske
<, him if there were any orders at Static
g D.. He answered: None, eXceI
l. to try to get there in time for dinner
which was pure sarcasm, for II
made our running time we would
there in time for breakfast. Well, n
heart was clear down in my boots, an
when shut off the steam going in
ne Station b found the water so 10
in the boiler that something had to
e, done for the pumps before we cou
leave that station, rs there was then
n heavy grade to climb for sever
an miles | informed the conductor tn
we would be delayed fifteen or TWEEN
W minutes with the work of taking dow
~ one of the pumps, and then proceed
NC with the work.
I'VE were just about ready to sta
ay again when / heard the sharp wills
VI of an engine, and looking up saw
90 train approaching from the very dir
ton in which we were going. VIII
- the train pulled into the station,
; q found that the telegraph operator at )
an ton D had neglected to give
M meeting orders for this train. Had
not been for the pumps we would ha
hy dashed on to what would proba|
'ch have been one of the most terrible
be- lisions in the history of railroads
me Now comes the remarkable part
W. the story. From the time we left )
ton B both pumps worked like
GA charm-bear in mind that | had fou
nothing whatever the matter with
mo pump that had teken down, as til
nd was apparently no reason for 1t
working-and the old engine seen
ont to dart along with twice
vn. usual speed. Gradually she be-
e?' to pick up the time again, and
mt the next fifty miles we had made
ng, fifteen minutes, which was lightn
ell speed in those days. There was
nineteen minutes to make the
eeP- twenty miles in, and l need not
IKE that we pulled into our destination
to
,,nr time.
con con Here, indeed, was an instance
Bos- cranky engine saving collision
would probably have resulted Il
r in great loss of human life and prope
TO-" Railroading is full of just such exI
nor a ences. and have had many of &